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A group of four Estonian exchange students are having a truly Texas summer.

Markus Külaviir, Anngrett Sahtel, Evelin Sulg and Käroli Tiirik have been in Corpus Christi since early June selling educational books for children of all ages through a Nashville company called Southwestern Advantage.

The students stay with host families for the summer and have enjoyed the hot temperatures (summers in Estonia can be as chilly as 50 degrees). Each received an exchange student visa, or J-1 work and travel visa, to come to the U.S.

Normally, they ride in separate vehicles with Southwestern Advantage magnetic signs displayed on the side. They wear matching blue Polo shirts and a photo identification badge and carry business cards.

Sahtel prefers to ride a bike when she sells door-to-door.

"Throughout the summer, people are really welcoming here, even more than back home," Tiirik said. "Everyone has been super friendly. They get to know us, and ask what we do back home. People have given us their numbers if we have trouble here or need anything and we can just call them."

Because they are selling educational books for any grade level, the students ask whoever answers the door if there are children in the household and how old the children are.

Earlier this week, a private Facebook group for Corpus Christi mothers posted concerns about the Eastern European students being part of a possible "human trafficking scam."

When one of their clients reached out to them about the social media rumor, the students were surprised.

"(Our clients) were concerned about us that somebody could point a gun at us or be really violent," Tiirik said.

They went to the Corpus Christi Police Department to let officers know who they are and what they are doing, just in case people call the police.

"These kinds of things happen, but they're no big deal," he said. "Moms are protective."

About half of the 1,500 students selling books for Southwestern Advantage are from other countries, said Trey Campbell, director of communications.

"It's a cultural exchange program to experience American culture and American entrepreneurism by running their own business," Campbell said. "All the profit is theirs. They purchase the products wholesale and sell retail. At the end of the summer, they reconcile their accounts."

This summer, the only issues with customers' social media posts have come from Texas, mainly around Corpus Christi, he said.

"It spreads quickly, and we've been talking with students in different parts of Texas who have had issues," he said. "Any time someone says something on social media without checking the facts, it can be detrimental. College students are the victims in this place."

Senior Officer Travis Pace said he met with the students earlier this week and told them to be careful. Door-to-door sales is not always the safest form of commerce, he added.

The students will leave Corpus Christi in late August and return to Estonia for school. Sahtel is studying Spanish and Külaviir will finish his business degree this year. Sulg and Tiirik will both start their second year.

"My mom was worried at first about people being rude, but I said 'No Mom, it's like my own home here," Tiirik said. "Everyone has been so welcoming."